Hockey rink construction

ABSTRACT

An ice skating rink includes an improved construction for the walls surrounding the skating surface, usually referred to as the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;boards&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;. The boards are made from molded fiberglass and binding resin construction. Improved means are provided for supporting the boards about the skating rink.

nited States atent 11 1 1111 3,844,539 Abbott Oct. 29, 1974 HOCKEY RINKCONSTRUCTION 2,338,468 1/1944 T611611 52/629 2,743,904 6/1956 Arndt256/25 UX [76] lnvemor- John 416 Grove 2,842,776 7/1958 Zakin 1. 256/25x Melfose, Mass- 02176 3,045,976 7/1962 Nayhouse et al. 256 24 3,378,9494/1968 Dorris 256/25 UX [22] 1973 3,568,388 3 1971 Flachbarth et a1 [21]Appl. No; 343,195 3,727,888 4/1973 Nickolas 256/24 PrimarExaminer-Dennis L. Ta lor 2 .s. 1. 6 5 Y Y [5 1 U C 25 2/629 2 5Attorney, Agent, or FirmWolf, Greenfield & Sacks [51] Int. Cl E04h 17/16[58] Field of Search 256/24, 25, 26, 1; 52/629, [57] ABSTRACT 52/630309; 272/2 3; 273/1 B An ice skating rink includes an improvedconstruction [56] References Cited for the walls surrounding the skatingsurface, usually referred to as the boards. The boards are made UNITEDSTATES PATENTS from molded fiberglass and binding resin construction.213,587 3/1879 Otis 52/629 X Improved means are provided for supportingthe 1,010,379 1 1 King 1 256/24 boards about the Skating rink 1,853,1414/1932 Overholtz 1 1 t 52/629 X 2,000,847 5/1935 Kehm 52/629 X 4 Claims,5 Drawing Figures Illlllll HOCKEY RINK CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Typically, prior boards have been constructed from wood and anumber of sections are supported end-toend about the ice skating surfaceto define a substantially continuous wall. Among the inherentinconveniences of such prior arrangements has been that the boards tendto chip and splinter because of the rough conditions to which they areexposed. During hockey play, they are struck repetitively by the hockeypuck, skate blades, etc. Additionally, commonly employed ice surfacerefinishing machines which move over the ice surface sometimes strikethe boards and can damage it further. A splintered board can beparticularly dangerous to a skater who might brush against the boards.Additionally, the upper ends of the boards usually are arranged todefine a rail at approximately armsheight above the skating surface.Rough hockey play frequently is against the boards and the wooden railmay splinter which can present considerable danger to the skater. As aresult, typical prior board arrangements required that board sectionsdefining the wall be replaced periodically. Prior supportingarrangements for the boards made replacement somewhat awkward anddifficult. It is among the primaryobjects of the invention to provide agenerally improved board construction which avoids the foregoingdifficulties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The boards are arranged to surround the iceskating surface of the rink endlessly in end-to-end relation. Each boradis fabricated, substantially entirely from a fiberglass and bindingresin construction and includes a mainwall having a baseboard at icelevel of double thickness. The upper end of each board section includesan integral and outwardly extending horizontal rail. The boardsaremounted by means of molded fiberglass angled sections secured integrallyto the backside of each board segment adjacent each end but spaced fromthe end of the board segment to define a margin. Adjacent ends ofadjacent boards are secured, through the integral angles to anupstanding post secured in place in the rink foundation. The surfacefacing inwardly toward the rink defines a continuous smooth surfacehaving almost imperceptible joints. The outer facing surface of theboard also inlcudes an integral horizontally extending reinforcing ribat approximately knee height above the skating surface.

It is among the primary objects of the invention to provide an improvedboard construction for a skating rink.

A further object of the invention is to provide skating rink boardsincluding an improved mounting arrangement which facilitates replacementand provides a smooth continuous surface facing inwardly toward theskating rink.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved ice skatingboard construction which is free of hazardous splinters and whichminimizes replacement frequency.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a board arrangementfor an ice skating rink in which the boards include a one piece mainwall and top rail.

LII

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other advantages of theinvention will be appreciated more fully from the detailed descriptionthereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a typical board section as seen from itsbackside;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of the board shown in FIG. I as seenalong the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of a pair of boards supported in end-to-endrelation and defining the wall about the skating rink;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation, in section, of a supported board section andfurther shows the arrangement by which the board sections support aglass screen as seen along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a supported board section, shown in section,'asseen along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The board segments indicatedgenerally by the reference character 10 are arranged in end-to-endabutting relation about the ice skating rink and include straight andcurved sections. The rink may include a concrete foundation 12 andappropriate underlayment materials beneath the intended ice skatingsurface 13 such as gravel l4, sand 16 or the like. Brine tubes 18 forfreezing the water on top of the underlayment may extend through theunderlayment.

The foundation 12 supports a plurality of pillars 20 which are anchoredtherein and which are spaced substantially circumferentiallyabout theice skating surface 13. The pillars 20,'in turn, support at their upperends a support plate 22 which extends substantially about the intendedregion of the skating surface. Secured to and extending upwardly fromthe plate 22 are a plurality of supporting posts 24. The posts maybe ofT-shaped cross section as shown or other appropriate configuration. Thesupporting posts 24 are spaced in increments substantially equal tothewidth of the board sections 10 and are arranged so that they maysupport the board sections as described herein.

The board sections 10 are of .one piece construction and are made frommolded fiberglass and an appropriate binding resin. Each board section10 includes a main wall 26 having a base board strip 28 secured theretoat its lower region. The upper end of the main wall isformed to define asmoothly'merging and outwardly extending top rail 30. By way ofillustration, a typical board section may be approximately 10- feet inlength and with the top rail 30 extending '42 inches above the iceskating surface 13. The rail preferable extends outwardly approximately6 inches from the main wall 26 of the board section.

Located adjacent each end of each board section 10 and along thebackside is a vertically extending angleshaped, mounting bracket 32whichis also fabricated from reinforced fiberglass and which has an upwardlyextending vertical flange. The brackets 32 are mounted as to be spacedsomewhat from the ends of the section to define a margin 34. The boardsections also are reinforced by means of a horizontal rib 36 whichextends between the mounting brackets along the backside of the boards10. The reinforcing rib 36 is located at a height along the boardsection which substantially corresponds to the skaters knee height, forexample, between one-third and one-half the distance from the bottom ofthe board section 10. An eighteen inch height is desirable, Thereinforcement is fabricated by providing an elongate form 38 (see FIG.2) such as of a foam plastic material on the backside of the section andthen covering the form 38 or core with resin reinforced fiberglass whichis bonded to the outwardly facing surface of the board section 10.

The board sections 10 are mounted about the skating rink by the mountingbrackets 32 and supporting posts 24. Each of the board sections ispositioned between a pair of supporting posts 24 with the rearwardlyextending flange of the mounting bracket 32 against the side of itsassociated post 24. The brackets include holes 40 through which bolts 42may be passed to fasten an end of each board section to its associatedpost. The margins 34 of the adjacent ends of the boards are dimensionedin relation to the dimensions of the post 24 so that the main wall edgesof adjacent board sections can abut and define a smooth inner surfaceabout the inside of the rink.

In the illustrative embodiment, the supporting posts 24 are of T-shapedcross section. However, it would be apparent that other suitableconfigurations for the posts may be employed provided that the margindimensions are such that the boards can be abutted endto-end.

ln ice hockey rinks it is the common practice to provide shatter-proofglass extending upwardly above the level of the boards so that thehockey game can be observed while protecting the observers from dangerfrom the flying puck, swung hockey sticks or the like. The boardconstruction lends itself to support of shields. As shown in FIG. 4, thesupporting post 24 is of lesser height than the board segment 10. Thesupporting post 24 can include an L-shaped member 44 secured to itsupper end and extending outwardly and upwardly of the post. The upwardlyextending portion of the member defines a lip 46 which is spacedoutwardly from the outer most edge of the top rail 30. The space betweenthe horizontal portion of the L-shaped member 44 and the underside ofthe top rail 30 preferably is filled with a wooden inner rail 48 whichserves both to support somewhat the top rail and also to define achannel 50 between the wooden filler and the upwardly extending portionof the L-shaped member. The channel may receive the lower edge of theshatter-proof glass plate 52 which usually is retained within a metalchannel 54.

It should be understood that the foregoing description of the inventionis intended merely to be illustrative thereof and that other embodimentsand modifications may be apparent to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit.

Having thus described the invention, what I desire to claim and secureby Letters Patent is:

l. A hockey rink board section comprising:

a main wall;

a substantially horizontal and outwardly extending top rail formedintegrally and smoothly with said main wall at the upper end of saidmain wall;

a vertically disposed flange secured to the backsdie of said main wallat each end thereof, each of said flanges being disposed slightlyinwardly from the associated end of said main wall thereby to define avertically extending margin; and

reinforcement means secured integrally to the backside of said boardsection, and including a horizontally extending rib disposed betweensaid vertical flanges, said rib being disposed above the bottom end ofsaid board section between approximately one-third to one-half of theheight of said board section; and

a baseboard secured integrally to the opposite side of said boardsection and extending along the lower end thereof.

2. ln an ice skating rink, an improved board arrangement comprising:

a plurality of boards, each of said boards being formed from reinforcedfiberglass and including an upwardly extending wall, the upper end ofwhich having an outwardly substantially horizontally extending top rail;

a vertically disposed flange secured to the outwardly facing surface ofeach of said board sections, each of said flanges being disposedinwardly from its associated end of said board to define a verticallyextending margin;

a plurality of vertically extending supporting posts disposedcircumferentially about said intended skating surface rerion, said postsbeing of a width in relation to the width of said margins such that whenadjacent ends of adjacent boards are abutted together, said supportingposts may fit snugly between the facing adjacent flanges of adjacentpanels, said posts being disposed entirely outside of said outwardlyfacing surfaces of said board sections whereby the adjacent verticaledges of adjacent board sections may butt against each other and definea smooth substantially continuous inwardly facing surface; and

means securing said flanges to said posts.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

said skating rink including a foundation extending at least about saidrink;

means for supporting a plate by said foundation, said plate beingconstructed to circumscribe said rink and said post being secured tosaid plate, said plate having an inwardly extending portion adapted tosupport the bottom end of said board section.

4. An arrangement as defined in claim 2 further comprising:

said supporting posts being of less height than said main wall of saidsection thereby to define a space between the underside of said top railand the upper end of said supporting posts;

an L-shaped member secured to the upper end of said post and having aportion extending outwardly therefrom and then upwardly therefrom, saidupwardly extending portion of said L-shaped member being spacedoutwardly from the outward end of said top rail;

a filling member disposed between the underside of top rail and thehorizontal portion of said L-shaped member thereby to define a channelbetween said upwardly extending portion of said L-shaped member and saidfilling member, said channel being adapted to receive the lower edge ofa sheet of protective glass.

1. A hockey rink board section comprising: a main wall; a substantiallyhorizontal and outwardly extending top rail formed integrally andsmoothly with said main wall at the upper end of said main wall; avertically disposed flange secured to the backsdie of said main wall ateach end thereof, each of said flanges being disposed slightly inwardlyfrom the associated end of said main wall thereby to define a verticallyextending margin; and reinforcement means secured integrally to thebackside of said board section, and including a horizontally extendingrib disposed between said vertical flanges, said rib being disposedabove the bottom end of said board section between approximatelyone-third to one-half of the height of said board section; and abaseboard secured integrally to the opposite side of said board sectionand extending along the lower end thereof.
 2. In an ice skating rink, animproved board arrangement comprising: a plurality of boards, each ofsaid boards being formed from reinforced fiberglass and including anupwardly extending wall, the upper end of which having an outwardlysubstantially horizontally extending top rail; a vertically disposedflange secured to the outwardly facing surface of each of said boardsections, each of said flanges being disposed inwardly from itsassociated end of said board to define a vertically extending margin; aplurality of vertically extending supporting posts disposedcircumferentially about said intended skating surface rerion, said postsbeing of a width in relation to the width of said margins such that whenadjacent ends of adjacent boards are abutted together, said supportingposts may fit snugly between the facing adjacent flanges of adjacentpanels, said posts being disposed entirely outside of said outwardlyfacing surfaces of said board sections whereby the adjacent verticaledges of adjacent board sections may butt against each other and definea smooth substantially continuous inwardly facing surface; and meanssecuring said flanges to said posts.
 3. An arrangement as defined inclaim 2 further comprising: said skating rink including a foundationextending at least about said rink; means for supporting a plate by saidfoundation, said plate being constructed to circumscribe said rink andsaid post being secured to said plate, said plate having an inwardlyextending portion adapted to support the bottom end of said boardsection.
 4. An arrangement as defined in claim 2 further comprising:said supporting posts being of less height than said main wall of saidsection thereby to define a space between the underside of said top railand the upper end of said supporting posts; an L-shaped member securedto the upper end of said post and having a portion extending outwardlytherefrom and then upwardly therefrom, said upwardly extending portionof said L-shaped member being spaced outwardly from the outward end ofsaid top rail; a filling member disposed between the underside of toprail and the horizontal portion of said L-shaped member thereby todefine a channel between said upwardly extending portion of saidL-shaped member and said filling member, said channel being adapted toreceive the lower edge of a sheet of protective glass.